Box Score

Ewing NJ… Senior Kendra Boyd (Atlantic Highlands, NJ/Henry Hudson) scored three goals and assisted on another to help The College of New Jersey field hockey team post a 5-1 victory over William Paterson University in its New Jersey Athletic Conference opener on Friday.

The win was 13th straight in conference play for the third-ranked Lions and put them at 6-1 on the season. The loss dropped the Pioneers to 6-3 overall and 0-2 in the NJAC.

TCNJ got off to a great start as Boyd scored a pair of goals just 35 seconds apart early in the first period. Her first goal came with 4:32 expired in the game with an assist from junior Gabby Cafone (Fairfield, NJ/West Essex), while senior Kelly Mitchell (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape) set up the second.

The Pioneers trimmed one goal off of that margin by the end of the half as senior Meghan Hall (Turnersville, NJ/Washington Township) knocked in her 11th of the season on a feed from junior Amanda Sheehan (Boonton, NJ/Boonton).

TCNJ's offense got on the board twice in the opening minutes of the second as sophomore Leigh Mitchell (Mt. Laurel, NJ/Lenape) scored unassisted before Boyd completed the hat trick on an assist from Kelly Mitchell. Those goals came 2:47 and 4:56, respectively, into the new period.

Senior Katie Reuther (Toms River, NJ/Toms River North) closed out the scoring late in the game teeing up a shot off of a penalty corner that was inserted by Boyd.

Goaltender Shannon Syciarz (Garwood, NJ/Arthur L. Jackson) made one save to earn the win.

In goal for the Pioneers, junior Christina Auger (Wayne, NJ/Wayne Valley) collected eight saves.

The Pioneers also received defensive saves from Meghan Bardeer (Westampton, NJ/Rancocas Valley Regional) and Jennie Hara (Sewell, NJ/Washington Township).

TCNJ returns to NJAC competition on Tuesday hosting 12th-ranked Montclair State University in Lions' Stadium at 7:30 p.m. William Paterson also plays on Tuesday returning home to face Alvernia University at 7 p.m.